help! going crazy..how do I use Autofocus with Nikkor 50mmf/1.8 with D3000??

Sapphire07 · Jan 2, 2011

I am new to photography and I just got an AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens from my hubs for xmas, but I can't get it to autofocus with my D3000 camera body. I have tried many times to reattach, I cleaned contacts, and tried to adjust settings. There is no AF/M switch, like on my kit lens, but its killing me that I can't figure it out.

Side note, I went to the Shooting Menu and it won't let me change the Focus mode - it tells me that 'this option is not available with current settings,' so its stuck at MF...

any input is appreciated!

OrionsByte · Jan 3, 2011

The D3000 doesn't have a built-in focus motor; auto-focusing must be performed in-lens. While Nikon does make a 50mm with AF, it sounds like you got one without it.

Short answer is: any lens you pick up will not auto-focus on the D3000 unless it has an AF switch.

flea77 · Jan 3, 2011

That lens requires a camera more advanced than the D3000, the body must have a focusing motor in it. They make a AF-S version you can buy of the 1.4 I believe.

Allan

Tbini87 · Jan 3, 2011

Your D3000 needs to be used with an AF-S lens for it to auto focus.

The 50mm 1.8 won't auto focus on your camera, but you can still use it by focusing manually. I am pretty sure that there will be a little green dot in your viewfinder once your shot is in focus.

OrionsByte · Jan 3, 2011

flea77 said:
That lens requires a camera more advanced than the D3000, the body must have a focusing motor in it. They make a AF-S version you can buy of the 1.4 I believe.

Allan

Just to clarify, the lens will still work with your camera and do everything else it's supposed to - it just won't autofocus. It's still a good lens.

Sapphire07 · Jan 3, 2011

thanks everyone - I am disappointed I didn't get the AF-S version, but with the huge difference in pricetag, this will have to do for now! I enjoy shooting children/babies the most, so I am going to have to figure out how to manually focus quickly while running after them...

Dominantly · Jan 3, 2011

The 35mm will autofocus, and is quite a bit cheaper than the 50mm f/1.4.

Just in case you decide to sell and switch.

Tbini87 · Jan 3, 2011

Forgot to mention that the 35mm 1.8 is an AF-S lens at around $225 I believe. It is a great lens. We loved ours until we upgraded to a D90 which could AF with the 50 1.8, and we mostly use that now instead of the 35 for portraits.

Village Idiot · Jan 3, 2011

I could be a dick and make a comment about how Canon is superior because you can AF with any current lens/camera combinations, like some certain forum member likes to do when it's anything that he can get in about Nikon, regardless whether or not the word Nikon was ever brought up in that thread, but I'm not going to.

Oops. Looks like I just did. Sorry OP.

And I personally did not find anything spectacular about 50mm on a crop sensor. I like wides. 35mm might be a better option. The wider you go, the more DOF you'll have at a wider aperture though. It's a trade off. If you want really thin DOF, get a longer lens with a wide aperture; you'll just need room to use it.

o hey tyler · Jan 3, 2011

Village Idiot said:
35mm might be a better option.

^This

Still a MF lens on the D3000 I believe, but it's the closest thing you'll have to a "50mm prime walkaround lens" for a small pricetag. My Girlfriend has the 35mm f/2 for her Canon and loves it.

Light Artisan · Jan 3, 2011

Nah, 35mm f/1.8G is an autofocusing lens on the D3000 and comes in at only $199 to boot.

Village Idiot said:
I could be a dick and make a comment about how Canon is superior because you can AF with any current lens/camera combinations, like some certain forum member likes to do when it's anything that he can get in about Nikon, regardless whether or not the word Nikon was ever brought up in that thread, but I'm not going to.

Define 'current', because the same is true for Nikon... all 'current' releases of Nikon lenses have an autofocus motor built in. Not only that but almost every lens ever made will at least mount on most current bodies as well.

robb01 · Jan 3, 2011

Time to upgrade

The D90 is getting cheaper everyday

o hey tyler · Jan 3, 2011

Light Artisan said:
Nah, 35mm f/1.8G is an autofocusing lens on the D3000 and comes in at only $199 to boot.

Okay thanks for clearing that up. I wanted to say that my friend had the same lens on a D5000 and it didn't autofocus... But now that I think about it, maybe she said it didn't meter? I don't know Nikon lingo though...